Friday, May 3, 2013

Nevada Might Strike Gay Marriage Ban from Constitution. . .in 2018

I don't know who they are, but I love the picture!

The good thing about having strict rules for amendments to the Nevada State Constitution is that it's hard to do, and takes a long time. That prevents crazy, ill-considered changes from being swept in and codified on a low-turnout, off-year election. But, undoing said changes when they do get in there is just as laborious and protracted.

In 2000 and 2002, Nevada passed a ban on same-sex marriage. It had to be done twice, because that is the rule. And in the early part of this century, there was a hardcore push by arch conservatives to pass anti-gay state constitutional amendments. Gay rights groups were taken somewhat unawares, and didn't marshal the resources in time to stop it. So as unlikely as it sounds, Nevada--home of quickie divorces and quicker marriages--was on the leading edge of writing discrimination into its constitution. For a while, anti-gay groups were riding a wave of euphoria, fueled by stepping on the necks of their fellow citizens. So nice, and so very Christian.

But--as many thought would happen--these things started to get closer and closer as they moved through the states. The turning point may have been Proposition 8 in California which reversed already legal same-sex marriage in the state. It stirred the pro-marriage equality forces like nothing before. And over the next five years, marriage equality has gotten more and more popular across the country, and has gone from thin losses to thin wins, to outright victories.

The sanctity of marriage in Nevada.Image from Wedding-Splendor.com

And here we are back in Nevada, a state that should have been on the vanguard. What state is more likely to draw marriage tourism? We have drive-thru wedding chapels and Elvis impersonator officiants! If not for an oddly focused arch-right movement that has since flamed out, we could have been reaping the rewards over this severe rough patch in the economy. Instead, we're now way behind the eight-ball. The soonest Nevada could reverse their ridiculous same-sex marriage ban is 2018.

I don't know if I'll even still live in the state at that point. But my most likely future state--Ohio--is even further behind. So, I think my marriage's best bet hinges upon the Supreme Court. I'm crossing my fingers for that one.

[Excerpt]Couples take non-binding vows to support repeal of same-sex marriage ban

Three dozen couples took the plunge in the name of symbolism Thursday in a quickie wedding chapel on the Las Vegas Strip. None of the ceremonies were legally binding, but the participants insisted they weren’t pointless, either. “We
see this event as part of a change in this country,” said Steven
Dansky, 69, who renewed vows with his partner of 15 years, Barry Safran. . .